Chris and Claire’s “almost elope wedding” was such a joy to photograph! Beautiful people, gentle spirits, amazing spots, lots of shooting time, lots of laughter…and no guests waiting!

Technically they got married in the UK where they live, but decided to have their intimate ceremony and photographs here in South Africa. I had full shooting freedom and even though it was in the middle of the day, it was one GREAT challenge and what joy with these two. I feel so privileged that I could be part of their day.

Thanks to Alicia Buckle for always doing her magic in such a gentle way.

Enjoy Chris and Claire and please come visit again- we love having you!

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Ek het die mooie Suné ontmoet die 26ste Des 2011. Ek sal dit nooit vergeet nie want dit was seker die vuilste wat ek al ooit was toe ek iemand ontmoet het. Dit was warm en ek en my ma was besig om die hanslammers (wat vlieë lok) melk te gee op my boeta, MG, se gasteplaas. Suné is Surene se suster wat met MG uitgaan, so een of ander tyd sou ek haar ontomet. Ek moet bieg, ek het amper op my rug geval toe sy my vra of ek hulle troue sou afneem. (:

Suné en Conraad se troue is gereël in die tyd wat die plaaswerker-stakings in Robertson en omgeving aan die gang was. Vele ompaaie moes gery geword het en soms moes nuwe planne gemaak word, maar…Conraad en Suné se troue was net een groot fees! Die opwinding in hulle harte het in hulle oë en op hulle mondhoeke gewys. Suné en haar ma het aandag aan die kleinste detail gegee en die sweetie tafel was in ‘n ander klas!

Dankie Conraad en Suné vir julle liefde vir mekaar. Dat ek kon deel in julle belofte-dag. Dat julle so awesome is. Geniet julle blog-post!

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I had no idea what I wanted to do for my birthday other than…celebrating it with close friends and family!

Somewhere last year Sylvia (from Special Events) and I were talking and she offered to help me with my birthday. Only months later I decided to go for a sit down supper party and I asked Sylvia if she would still be willing to help. Without even a bit of a doubt she said yes..and I became very excited about the idea.

I started by designing an invite that more or less summed up the theme for the evening. Since im not the perfectly organised person, Sylvia was SUCH a huge help. We sat down, talked about my ideas and she made me a to-do list. I thought I was going to drive her crazy with all my ideas, thoughts and images. But she didn’t…but rather was excited with me and asked the right questions. Withouth that to-do list I would have forgotten/not think of so many things. Pep Home, China stores, Plastics for Africa, Super Floral and hardware stores became new friends of mine and my (human) friends and family were AMAZING in helping with the preparations that had to be done prior to the actual party. I loved the process…designing, painting, cutting… It’s been too long since I’ve made creative *stuff*.

In the end everything took WAY longer than expected and i had to pull a few late nights to juggle work and play. But I can say with i big fat smile in my heart – i looooved it. I did not want the night to end. I did not want anyone to go home or put off the lights hanging from the trees. The 2 days after the party, i laid the table for at least 3 more meals before 10 0f cups came to collect it again.

I have such a long list with thank-you’s. I am going to name all of them in between the images and at the bottom of the post. I can honestly recommend these people/companies if you are organising a party or get-together!!!! The friends and fam of mine that just helped…hmmm…not sure if you are going to find another group of people as awesome as mine.

Let me share the memory-catching images my friend and fellow photographer, Maré Rootman took on the day. (dankie dankie dankie dankie dankie Rei!!!) Enjoy!

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Today i cannot help but smile.
Last night myself and my housemates went to the Artscape theatre. What a great privilege to live with 2 friends that challenge and teach you, while having fun in the most beautiful house and surroundings? Dankie Mia en Ili!!!

This morning i woke up and already had messages from people that i love.

I started the day, spending time with God and playing piano – and Chessy the farm cat that adopted us as her friend, came and sat beside me on the piano bench.
2 squirrels came closer to listen and later on sat in the tree closest to our “piano-window.”
(I am not a master on the piano at all and can pretty much just play one song which is Ameli’s theme song. –>Mail me if you want the sheet-music!)

When i stepped into the office, Taryn, (who helps me sooo much with editing and so much more)  filled my part of the table with colourful balloons.

Later on this afternoon friends are coming over for “koek and rooikoeldrank” and this weekend the celebrations continue.

Im excited for the years to come. Im excited to see what God has in store and the adventures I will have with Him.
And as my brother Tjaart says, only a quarter of my live has passed. (:
The best is yet to come.

3o phone snap pics for my holiday:

Yay yay yay yay yay yay yay zellie big smile yay !!! Dankie Here vir die talent wat uit U hand kom.

Every year Junebug has this international competition called Best of the Best where they pick 50 images that they feel is the top 50 wedding images for the year. I’m so proud of SA and it’s photographers. Both Jean-Piere Uys and Welovepictures had an image in the top 50 and Lauren Kriedeman that also received an Honorable Mention.

This image of mine made the Honorable mention under Bride and Groom Portraits:

 Thank you Chris and Mila for your beautiful wedding!

To see the full wedding, here is PART 1 and PART 2

 Dylan and Cherie planned their wedding all the way from London. They got married at the magical Concervatory in Franschhoek. The docor was BEAUTIFUL!          …but how can it be different with Cherie’s excellent taste, combined with a team like Mariette from Vars Liefde and Maggi from Edible Art Cakes?

I also loved their idea of serving the food as a “mini buffet” per table. Even the meat was cut by someone allocated to the job at the table. It gave the feeling of a Sunday lunch with family and friends.

Thank you that I could be your photographer Dylan and Cherie! May your years to come as married couple be blessed!!! Geniet julle kiekies baie!

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I LOVE THESE 2 people!

I met Juné years ago and a few times already God has used her in my life just at the right time. (THANK YOU JUNé!)

She is an amazing and established photographer in Cape Town (make sure to have a look at her work HERE) and also the one that photographed my one sister, Alesha’s, wedding. We did this shoot, since they are moving to Sekunda next month. Werner (and Juné) was asked to go help at the Shofar Church. Im soooooo excited for that area – Jesus obviously has great plans for them! Juné will still continue with her photography, so be very happy Mpumalanga and Gauteng! (;

It was such a joy photographing Werner and Juné. I love observing how people interact and the strong bond they have is amazing. Im excited when i see marriages like this. And …they are just fun to be around… Dankie Werner en Juné. So ‘n voorreg om julle kiekies te kon neem en om saam te kuier.

Special thanks to Madeleen for always doing such a great job with the makeup.

Enjoy!

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Dis vir my altyd so lekker om te “travel” vir troues. Soos vir hierdie troue! Brendon en Melissa het bietjie Kaap toe gekom vir hulle verlowingsfoto’s en toe is ek en Nadine Johannesburg toe vir hul troue. Albei dae was so spesiaal! Dinge het bietjie andersom gewerk by die troue. Brendon en Melissa het besluit om hulle foto’s voorraf te neem. Die weer het perfek saamgespeel. Dit was lekker bewolk, wat al die harde sonstrale sag gemaak het. Ons het later gehoor daar was ‘n haelstorm 1km van waar ons fotos geneem het. Ongelooflik! Ons het nie eers ‘n druppeltjie water gehad terwyl ons hulle couple foto’s geneem het nie – dankie Here Jesus!

En dankie Brendon en Melissa! Ek is goed bederf met blyplek, eetgoejies, die gebruik van julle voertuig en die grootste bederf – die feit dat ek julle kon afneem. Baie blessings xxx

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Remember my beautiful Glenys friend from the portrait shoot we did for her? (view the shoot HERE)
About 10 days after the shoot her entire thyroid was removed because of cancer.

Today she started her radiation – which means 2 week in isolation in her plastic wrapped room.

Her brother said on Facebook: “A sad day, my sister has thyroid cancer and has had one operation already and became radio active today for 2 week. She has to live in isolation during this time. Please pray for her.”

Glenys’ response on that? “Love you my brother, it is going to be fine! It is a happy day because I am going to be better soon! “

xxx

Dit was weereens vir my net ‘n voorreg om tyd met die familie te spandeer! Loer HIER na die eerste shoot 2 jaar gelede. Die 3 kinders het so gegroei in die 2 jaar, dis moeilik om te glo! Die liefde, die laggies en die been-rekery tussen mekaar maak die foto’s, asook die tyd bymekaar, ekstra spesiaal. So dankie Loubser familie! Julle raak net mooier.

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Before I could write this post, i had to chew a bit on what happened. Thanks for your patience Maria! (:  Here goes…

Maria is my “Afrikaans-German” friend. She grew up in Germany and studied in Stellenbosch, where she learned to speak Afrikaans fluently. Currently she is living in Hamburg, but came to SA for vacation. I’ve done a shoot with Maria back in 2009 (see it HERE) and we decided to do a follow-up. I never knew she can grow to become even more beautiful!!!!

The shoot started off with a hair and makeup session. (Thank you Madeleen for doing SUCH AN AWESOME job with the makeup and Julien for her beautiful curls!) The lighting was so beautiful on the day that i started shooting in Welgevonden Estate Stellenbosch, since it was on our way to the spot i chose for the shoot. Sometimes a shoot just works and this was one of those. Maria was being a star and the light and location were all working together. I still showed Maria a few of the images because I was so excited about them. Her little face beamed even more.

As I was driving out of the Welgevonden gates, I saw even more prettiness. Soft light and purple flowers in an open field. Living in SA, I scanned the area and only saw 2 guards on the opposite side of the road. We continued with the shoot. After a few minutes of forgetting about everything that was going on around us, Maria looked up and warned me that there was someone coming up behind me. When i looked around the man was about 5m from me. The next minute (or rather millisecond) he pulled out a knife and ran towards me, demanding my camera. In the process of trying to move away and getting the camera off my neck, i fell over backwards and then (rather desperately) handed him what he asked for: Canon 5D MkIII with the Canon 50mm f1.2. I so badly want to ask for the memory-card of the shoot, but I just knew discussing this matter was not an option with this wild-eyed man. He demanded my Shootsac with my other lenses, memory-cards and car keys, but before I handed it over, Maria started screaming- like only a woman can. I joined the choir. At this stage the man became distracted and i tried to kick him…where no man wants to be kicked. I still don’t know if i succeeded – the adrenaline was pumping so much – but he left. Not really running. Just jogging. Past the 2 onlooking guards of a new residential development. We then saw that a second man was also hanging around, leaving the same time as Wild-Eye-Man.

We were rattled, shocked and VERY angry about losing the images – but safe and unharmed. After a yelling session directed towards the guards, a drive to the inside of the Welgevonden-gates, a thank-you-prayer and a teary call to my mother we decided to continue the shoot. I still had my backup camera and other lenses and Maria was showing her awesome and brave character. We were drying a few tears while shooting, but we decided it’s like horse riding – if you fall off, you get right back on.

Our church family was AMAZING. So many people, as well as the leaders supported us by praying for us and making sure we really were ok. Maria and I ask each other every so often how we are doing, how God is dealing with the fear in our lives etc etc. It’s great to have people like that in your life.

Maria, thank you for being my friend.

We prayed for at least 10 photos. God is faithful:

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Chantal (as well as Glenys and Elmarie) and I know each other since primary school. We were family friends and we spend HOURS horse riding, drawing, playing with their Jack Russell-dog, finding chameleons in the garden and then of coarse fighting with our brothers. When i was 14 they moved to USA and my heart was broken! We wrote endless letters…and Chantal’s letters are the BEST. Her handwriting and words are beautiful and she writes in all directions, colours and sizes. (Chantal, i think i want a handwritten card for my birthday in January please! )

When i was in Denver for David and Emily’s wedding, the Haas family came all the way from Albuquerque (New Mexico) to Denver to visit. Jason (chantal’s husband) was so awesome, looking after the older 2 girls while we went garage-sale-shopping with the 2 babies. He also made the most amazing hoender potjie. Yes, he is American, but Chantal’s dad taught him well!

And of coarse we had to take a few pics:

(PS: Kira, we missed you!)

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It’s always fun shooting these two! They have endless ideas and are keen to do all of them!

Thank you for begin SO MUCH FUN Emil and Tarryn! Enjoy. (:

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Lekker-lekker weskus troue!

Soveel mooi en soveel nuwe memories! Dankie dat julle so ‘n fees was om af te neem, Dennis en Liesl. Hoop julle geniet julle foto’s en baaaaie blessings vir julle huwelik:

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I am definitely going to be one of those grannies with a photo-album in my handbag. (Or maybe by then, it will be some sort of iPad.)

I just LOVE my brother’s little son, Markus Lotter” href=”http://www.lizellelotter.co.za/tjaartnaomiemarkus/” target=”_blank”>Markus. This was not a planned shoot at all, just a few memories from a recent visit. Enjoy!

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Oorspronlik sou ons by Kampsbaai die verlowing shoot doen, maar daar het die wind ons net deurmekaar gewaai! Ons het gaan skuiling soek tussen die mooie rotse van Llandudno en op die ou end het dis so lekker gewerk vir die shoot. Tanya en Christiaan is soooo verlief en dit was sommer net lekker om die middag saam met die 2 te spandeer. Ek is nou sommer ekstra opgewonde oor hulle troudag! Geniet Tanya en Christiaan en dankie vir die lekker middag!

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Crystal en Charl – Wat ‘n voorreg om julle troue te kon afneem! Dis so lekker om julle te kan ken en die groot dag te kon deel. Ek was sommer opgewonde vir julle part toe ek sien ek kan julle volgende blog. Ek hoop j

ulle herleef al die lekker van julle troudag soos julle hier deurgaan. Net blessings vir julle pad vorentoe!

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Super couple (thank you Daneel and Adri!!!)

+ amazing light & location

+ enough shooting time

+ lots of awesome planning and decor from couples’ side

+ lots of love shining through

+ removing a few ticks from your legs after the shoot

+ a very thankful and privileged photographer

=

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Glenys is such a dear friend. Her laughter is contagious, her sarmies are out of this world and she always joins in when I’m singing the “yummy-yummy-yummy-yum” song. Last year she finished the New York marathon inbuy cialis online canadap>

3h30min (I know!!!) and one day she is going to be my person jewellery designer and stylist…(that’s now if the celebs will give her a gap.)

Soooooo lief vir jou Glenny! May your very-very-very difficult 2012 just bring you closer to our God.

xxx

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While I was shooting the groomsmen at Emily and David’s wedding I mentioned

to David how much i would have loved to shoot some images of him and Emily at the specific location. Since the logistics would not allow it, it wasn’t possible. David sounded all enthusiastic about the idea and so a mini Trash the Dress session was born which we did the next day. I loved having the chance to shoot them again and in another enviroment!

Enjoy these images Emily and David and thanks again for being so keen on begin my “models” again! (:

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